Organisation: Focus Ireland

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Organisation: Focus Ireland

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Focus Ireland and Depaul criticised the proposal to let councils refuse emergency accommodation to people who have repeatedly refused offers of social housing. Picture: iStock</p>

news

Housing charities hit out at 'crude threat' to deny emergency housing to some applicants

Plan denounced as 'a crude threat to throw families onto the street if they do not do as they are told by councils'

<p>It comes after the news last Friday that Ireland had hit a new record number of people in emergency accommodation at the end of July, at 14,429 people. File photo Leah Farrell/ © RollingNews.ie</p>

news

Government budgets have left homeless charities 'permanently on edge of crisis'

<p>Olympic silver medalist Annalise Murphy gearing up to cycle the Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle this July, in aid of Focus Ireland. To register for the event, select Focus Ireland at ringofkerrycycle.ie</p>

outdoors

Iconic sports event Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle will help tackle homelessness

Five for the Week Ahead: The Japanese Film Festival comes to Cork

culture

Five for the Week Ahead: The Japanese Film Festival comes to Cork

Big Busk tunes up to raise money to tackle homelessness crisis

news

Big Busk tunes up to raise money to tackle homelessness crisis

Life doesn’t come with a manual, it comes with mom

people

The secret (and difficult) life of solo parenting

More than 4,000 children supported by Focus Ireland in 2022

More than 4,000 children supported by Focus Ireland in 2022

Focus Ireland helped more than 4,200 children who were homeless or at risk of homelessness in 2022.

Wed, 27 Sep, 2023

Lifting of eviction ban 'will see homelessness rise above record figure'

Lifting of eviction ban 'will see homelessness rise above record figure'

There were 12,259 people in emergency accommodation in April, including almost 3,600 children.

Fri, 26 May, 2023

Government urged to take 'best interests of children' into account in homeless crisis

Government urged to take 'best interests of children' into account in homeless crisis

The campaign comes at a time when there are almost 3,500 children in emergency accommodation

Tue, 09 May, 2023

Pensive child looking through a window

Sister Stan: 'Homelessness damages children most of all'

Focus Ireland leader launches 16 new homes on the Grand Parade in Cork amid housing and evictions crisis

Sat, 01 Apr, 2023

Video: Family of eight evicted from their Donegal home with no notice

Video: Family of eight evicted from their Donegal home with no notice

The family was told their children could be taken from them if gardaí were called during the incident, which was all captured on video

Mon, 27 Mar, 2023

'I’m not going into a hostel at 70' - Vulnerable woman facing eviction speaks out

'I’m not going into a hostel at 70' - Vulnerable woman facing eviction speaks out

Mary Linden said: “I’m having a hysterectomy on May 19 and I have to go somewhere for two weeks to recuperate,”

Sat, 18 Mar, 2023

Focus Ireland 'big busk' raises €270,000 to fight mounting scourge of homelessness

Focus Ireland 'big busk' raises €270,000 to fight mounting scourge of homelessness

A total of 280 buskers performed across the country to highlight the “urgent need” to tackle the mounting scourge of homelessness.

Sat, 11 Mar, 2023

An Bord Pleanála delays contribute to fall in planning permissions for apartments

An Bord Pleanála delays contribute to fall in planning permissions for apartments

An Bord Pleanála has previously apologised for the delays and has said it is not meeting its statutory deadlines in a large number of cases

Fri, 10 Mar, 2023

House construction

State urged to fund tens of thousands of 'uncommenced' planning permissions

The conference hosted by homeless charity Focus Ireland heard that the Government’s Rainy Day Fund should be used for housing that won’t otherwise get built

Tue, 07 Mar, 2023

Landlord-Tenant Law and eviction notice on a desk.

Lifting eviction ban will 'turn on the tap into homelessness', housing charity warns

Focus Ireland chief said eviction ban had seen the rate at which families entered homelessness slow and down and had helped to 'stem the tide'

Tue, 07 Mar, 2023

Group co-ordinating Cork homeless services have not met for a year

Group co-ordinating Cork homeless services have not met for a year

'Covid and staff changes' to blame

Wed, 14 Dec, 2022

'Real figure is much higher': Almost 11,000 people homeless in latest record monthly total

'Real figure is much higher': Almost 11,000 people homeless in latest record monthly total

Charities call for immediate Government action to address 'alarming' homelessness figures

Fri, 28 Oct, 2022

young homeless boy sleeping on the bridge

Advocates demand social welfare 'overhaul' as families exceed housing support thresholds

Families could exceed the income threshold for social housing even on the most basic welfare payments, advocates have said, as they urged the Government to complete a review of these thresholds as the homelessness crisis deepens.

Tue, 11 Oct, 2022

Sister Stan says the lack of action on homelessness is 'unforgiveable'

Sister Stan says the lack of action on homelessness is 'unforgiveable'

Founder of Focus Ireland calls for a temporary ban on evictions

Tue, 11 Oct, 2022

Warning of 'onslaught of evictions' leading to mass homelessness

Warning of 'onslaught of evictions' leading to mass homelessness

The rental sector is facing “an onslaught of evictions” with smaller landlords saying they are being driven from the market.

Mon, 08 Aug, 2022

young homeless boy sleeping on the bridge

Fifth monthly rise in homelessness sparks call for pandemic-style response

The latest monthly report issued by the Department of Housing shows 3,028 children in total are homeless

Fri, 24 Jun, 2022

Mortgage application loan agreement and house key

One in five with mortgage approval failing to secure a home due to excess demand

The Myhome.ie report finds annual asking price inflation has slowed to 10.9% nationwide. It is 7.9% in Dublin and 12.7% elsewhere around the country

Fri, 24 Jun, 2022

Glanbia Ireland employees launch bid to raise €50,000 for chosen charities

Glanbia Ireland employees launch bid to raise €50,000 for chosen charities

The event - the Glanbia 300 fundraising drive - is running from June 6 to 12.

Wed, 08 Jun, 2022

Charities welcome government moves on Hap but say 'broken housing system' needs reform

Charities welcome government moves on Hap but say 'broken housing system' needs reform

Minister O’Brien hopes for an increase in the Hap discretion rate to 35% and to expand the couple’s rate to single persons

Fri, 03 Jun, 2022

Rise in homelessness 'a shocking indictment of failed housing policy'

Rise in homelessness 'a shocking indictment of failed housing policy'

A 30% rise in the number of children without homes has prompted calls for the pandemic-era eviction ban to be reintroduced.

Fri, 29 Apr, 2022

Three-quarters of Focus Ireland's Cork complex empty six months after 'misunderstood' opening

Three-quarters of Focus Ireland's Cork complex empty six months after 'misunderstood' opening

Focus Housing said: “We are doing everything possible to get the remaining apartments tenanted as quickly as possible."

Mon, 27 Dec, 2021

'Extremely limited' housing options mean domestic abuse victims are 'hidden homeless'

'Extremely limited' housing options mean domestic abuse victims are 'hidden homeless'

One woman spent more than two-and-a-half years moving between different accommodations, including going back to the abusive home and sleeping rough

Mon, 06 Dec, 2021

Thousands of children facing homelessness this Christmas is 'black stain' on society, says Sr Stan

Thousands of children facing homelessness this Christmas is 'black stain' on society, says Sr Stan

"It is a black mark on us all that we allowed it to happen and it is happening on our watch"

Tue, 30 Nov, 2021

Number of homeless adults in Cork and Kerry more than doubles in seven years

Number of homeless adults in Cork and Kerry more than doubles in seven years

One of the reasons for the high number of adults who are homeless nationwide is that demand for housing is completely outweighing supply

Tue, 16 Nov, 2021

Rory's Stories: My wife became pregnant after we moved in with my parents

Rory's Stories: My wife became pregnant after we moved in with my parents

"I feel like I'm on the right track and it's a lovely feeling when you're in that headspace where you know this is what you're meant to do"

Thu, 14 Oct, 2021

Housing crisis: ‘All I ever wanted was a home for my family’

Housing crisis: ‘All I ever wanted was a home for my family’

In the space of a year, Lydia and her family went from pinpointing a home to buy to couchsurfing in Dublin. Their experience is far from rare, highlighting the stressful and dehumanising vagaries of the housing system, writes Noel Baker

Sat, 25 Sep, 2021

August sees third consecutive monthly rise in homelessness

August sees third consecutive monthly rise in homelessness

This month's Department of Housing data shows that 953 families are homeless in Ireland

Fri, 24 Sep, 2021

Homeless initiative

Number of people homeless rises above 8,000 in June

5,847 adults and 2,167 children were in emergency accommodation in June

Fri, 30 Jul, 2021

Some 38,000 adults have been homeless since 2014

Some 38,000 adults have been homeless since 2014

More than €1bn has been spent on homeless households over the same period

Wed, 23 Jun, 2021

Homelessness Stock

Homeless accommodation bill topped €212m last year

While larger urban areas, including Dublin and Cork, saw expenditure on emergency accommodation fall last year, spending levels rose in other parts of the country

Mon, 26 Apr, 2021

New Focus Ireland plan aims to help 5,000 families in five years

New Focus Ireland plan aims to help 5,000 families in five years

Charity aims to deliver 1,150 new homes in partnership with local authorities and other State agencies through a mix of direct build, buying and leasing

Wed, 24 Mar, 2021

'Spiralling' levels of homelessness, in particular among single adults

'Spiralling' levels of homelessness, in particular among single adults

New data from the Department of Housing shows over 8,300 people in emergency accommodation.

Fri, 26 Feb, 2021

Irish Examiner view: Let’s find the courage to resolve homelessness

Irish Examiner view: Let’s find the courage to resolve homelessness

It does not require a tremendous imagination to picture what being homeless meant over recent weeks.

Mon, 15 Feb, 2021

Mortgage application loan agreement and house key

More than half of applicants for government home loan scheme rejected

Some 715 loans were approved in the first 11 months of the year, with more than 800 rejected.

Wed, 30 Dec, 2020

Charity helps 1,100 families secure a home

Charity helps 1,100 families secure a home

Focus Ireland said 940 of those homes had been secured since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March

Mon, 21 Dec, 2020

Fear of homophobia and transphobia keeping homeless LGBTQI+ youth away from hostels

Fear of homophobia and transphobia keeping homeless LGBTQI+ youth away from hostels

Parental rejection of young people’s sexual orientation and gender identity can be a trigger in the decision to leave home and can subsequently lead to homelessness, according to a new report.

Fri, 18 Sep, 2020

Focus Ireland ordered to pay €22,000 to 68-year-old 'humiliated' mediator for unlawfully retiring him

Focus Ireland ordered to pay €22,000 to 68-year-old 'humiliated' mediator for unlawfully retiring him

Adjudication Officer, Kevin Baneham found that Focus Ireland discriminated against Joseph McGrath because of his age.

Tue, 02 Jun, 2020

Warning of 'wave of homelessness' if Covid protections lifted

Warning of 'wave of homelessness' if Covid protections lifted

Removing tenancy protections introduced as part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic will result in a "wave of homelessness", Focus Ireland has warned.

Thu, 21 May, 2020

Focus Ireland warns of 'wave of homelessness' when Covid-19 restrictions lift

Focus Ireland warns of 'wave of homelessness' when Covid-19 restrictions lift

The director of advocacy at Focus Ireland, Mike Allen has warned that there could be a “wave of homelessness” when Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.

Thu, 21 May, 2020

349% increase in families in emergency accommodation over five-year period

349% increase in families in emergency accommodation over five-year period

The full scale of the homelessness crisis since 2014 has been outlined in a report showing a 349% increase in the number of families in emergency accommodation in a little over five years.

Tue, 12 May, 2020

'Anticipated but welcome drop' in numbers accessing emergency accommodation

'Anticipated but welcome drop' in numbers accessing emergency accommodation

The latest figures from the Department of Housing show there's been a drop of 241 since February.

Thu, 30 Apr, 2020

Cork City FC's 'Big Rebel Sleep Out' 2020 goes into back-gardens amid Covid-19

Cork City FC's 'Big Rebel Sleep Out' 2020 goes into back-gardens amid Covid-19

The Big Rebel Sleep Out to raise money for homeless charity Focus Ireland is to continue amid the Covid 19 outbreak with participants instead going out their back gardens to complete the challenge.

Thu, 23 Apr, 2020

Video of homeless child using artwork to explain Covid-19 to children goes viral

Video of homeless child using artwork to explain Covid-19 to children goes viral

A video of a homeless child using their artwork to teach other children how they can avoid Covid-19 has gone viral.

Thu, 16 Apr, 2020

Group of charities working with homeless people appeals for public's help

Group of charities working with homeless people appeals for public's help

The group, called Crisis Cover, is made up of the likes of Dublin Simon Communities and DePaul.

Thu, 19 Mar, 2020